ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. chip — to eat
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. can — a tin
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — certain
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — a tool
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rule — a law
  17. can — to be able to
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rule — government
  20. bound — obliged
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. can — a tin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. prune — the fruit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com